Splendour in the Grass fined $100,000 for traffic queues

Splendour in the Grass organisers have been fined a whopping $100,000 for failing to comply with a traffic management plan at this year’s festival.

Ten primary and secondary schools within a 10-kilometre radius of the festival held at North Byron Shire Parklands, Byron Bay, will receive $10,000 each after significant traffic at the 2022 festival disrupted students and teachers.

North Byron Shire Parklands is managed by Billinudgel Property, who the department of planning and environment is taking compliance action against.

Splendour in the Grass 2022 — Hundreds of cars at the Splendour in the Grass festival were bogged in the mud. (9News)

“Traffic queuing resulted in short term, but significant traffic delays to the community, including school children travelling home from school on Thursday, 21 July 2022,” a department of planning spokesperson said.

“After considering all of the options available to us, we have decided that the best outcome for the community is for the company to contribute financially to improvements to nearby schools through an enforceable undertaking.”

The schools will be able to use the money at their own discretion to make improvements.

Splendour in the Grass will have to undertake an independent audit a year early due to not complying with the traffic plan.

”That independent audit will help determine whether other conditions were breached at this year’s event and, if that is the case, we will take further enforcement action if necessary,” the spokesperson said.

“It will also provide recommendations to improve the existing environmental management plans in place.”

The outcome of the audit is expected to be handed down early next year before the next festival goes ahead.

9News.com.au has contacted festival organisers for comment.

Splendour in the Grass in 2022 was rained out leaving extensive mud. (Getty)

Campers waited hours along highways to enter the grounds before being told they were closed due to the flooding.

Falls Festival is set to go ahead over New Years at Byron Bay and traffic management plans will be reviewed in light of the chaos at Splendour in the Grass.